Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Apple's App Store draws developer ire and legal challenge

Apple's App Store draws developer ire and legal challenge

While Apple chief Tim Cook touts the brand's App Store as an economic miracle, Fortnite-maker Epic Games says developers suffer under its tyranny.
The online shop -- the only way software apps can get onto iPhones or other Apple mobile devices -- is at the heart of a trial opening Monday in a federal court across the bay from San Francisco.

Apple opened its App Store in July 2008, a year after the release of the first iPhone.

The shop, stocked with mobile apps tailored for devices powered by iOS mobile software, was quickly imitated by rival smartphone makers.

It ignited an entire economy where developers big or small could make money with "an app for that," from games or social networking to summoning car rides or ordering food.

Apps are only allowed onto Apple mobile devices through the App Store, which requires them to abide by rules for privacy and security.

The App Store -- the lone gateway onto the more than one billion iPhones in use around the world -- has grown to include more than 1.8 million apps.

Hundreds of billions of dollars in transactions take place at the App Store each year in what Apple chief Cook has called an "economic miracle."

Apple takes a commission of as much as 30% of financial transactions at the App Store, where most apps can be downloaded for free.

In January, Apple reduced its commission to 15% for newcomers and developers making less than a million dollars annually.

Apple had already cut its 30% commission in half in the case of paid subscriptions after the first year.

Some services such as music-streamer Spotify have tried to coax aspiring subscribers to avoid using the App Store. While popular services such as Netflix can rely on people doing business at their own websites, small developers lack that kind of draw.

Amazon was a rare exception, negotiating a special deal at the App Store for subscriptions to its Prime streaming television service.

Epic Games was booted from the App Store last year after it triggered an update in its Fortnite game that bypassed the Apple payment system that collects commissions.

Epic filed a lawsuit in US federal court against Apple, accusing the iPhone maker of monopolistic behavior due to its tight control of the App Store and collection of a "tax."

Apple countered that the commission reflects industry norms and amounts to fair compensation for providing a secure online shop that spans the world.

Epic and other app makers accuse Apple of tyrannically enforcing App Store rules to the Cupertino-based company's benefit.

Spotify has argued that Apple gives its own music service advantage in the shop.

On Friday, the European Union formally accused Apple of using the App Store to unfairly squeeze out music-streaming rivals in one of the biggest-ever competition cases to hit the iPhone maker.

The charge sheet lands as Apple faces a rebellion from firms that want to break free of its store's strict terms and fees, while authorities in the US, Russia, Britain and South Korea are also circling the world's biggest company.

Facebook is among the App Store critics, saying new rules, which block the tracking of users' online activity for ad targeting without express permission, is an abuse of its power.

Google runs an app shop for Android-powered mobile devices, and collects commissions, but it also lets device users get apps elsewhere.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×